DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2008) – Kevin Harvick knew that the Daytona 500 was big.
But he just didn’t know how big it really was until he won last year’s 49th annual “Great American Race.”
“We’ve been fortunate to win a few of the big races and I always thought I wanted to win the Brickyard but I was wrong,” Harvick said. “Just experiencing everything from the 500 and being able to be a part of the weeks after it, everywhere you go, that’s all anybody wants to talk about is winning the Daytona 500.”
Harvick, who won the Brickyard 400 in 2003, nipped Mark Martin at the start/finish to take the victory in the 2007 Daytona 500 by .020 seconds, the closest Daytona 500 finish since the advent of computer scoring in 1993.
The victory put Harvick’s name in the exclusive company of other racing greats such as Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt as Daytona 500 winners entering the race’s 50th running on Sunday, Feb. 17.
“I think to win the Daytona 500 last year was something that I don’t think I realized the magnitude of the race,” Harvick said. “When you rolled in this morning you kind of realized everything that happened last February. And being the 50th (running) of the race and being able to be a part of the 50th (running) celebration with all the past winners is something that’s been pretty cool to be a part of.”
Harvick, who drives the No. 29 Shell Pennzoil Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, hopes the first day of this week’s three-day test is the first step in becoming the first back-to-back winner of the Daytona 500 since Sterling Marlin in 1994-95.
He got the jump on the competition by being the first car to take to the track on Monday morning.
“I liked the fact that our main goal today was to be the first ones on the racetrack and we accomplished that,” Harvick said. “We came down here with kind of a specific plan engine wise that they started last week just to kind of get a handle on our whole company’s grasp of what car is the fastest and what car is not fast. So where trying to sort that out between the six or eight cars that we have.”
New Era Begins For Earnhardt Jr.: The anticipation is over and a new era has begun for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
On Monday, Earnhardt Jr. got behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports as he prepares for the historic 50th running of the Daytona 500.
Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500 champion, is preparing for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, who has won the Daytona 500 six times.
Earnhardt Jr. has spent his entire NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career driving the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc. He began competing on a full-time basis in 2000 and has 10 victories at Daytona International Speedway.
The No. 88 has a successful history in the Daytona 500, winning NASCAR’s most prestigious event three times – once with Bobby Allison (1982) and twice with Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000).
Fastest of the day: Dale Jarrett, three-time Daytona 500 champion, was the fastest and third fastest in the morning session with a speed of 184.987 mph. in the No. 44B Toyota and 184.222 mph in the No. 44A Toyota. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was second fastest in the morning session at 184.646 mph.
In the afternoon session, Dave Blaney in a Toyota was fastest with a lap of 185.445 mph followed by Earnhardt Jr. at 185.426 and Brian Vickers at 185.307.
Quotable: Jeff Burton on the upcoming 50th running of the Daytona 500: “Over Christmas I went to (brother) Ward’s house and his Daytona 500 trophy was in his house there. You know, I don’t know what it was about it, but I saw that trophy and it was like it was the first I had ever seen it. My son was down there, he’s seven, and I said, ‘You know what that is?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s the Daytona 500 trophy.’ It was pretty special seeing that trophy.
“Ward is obviously not in a position to have a ride right now. Having that trophy sitting there, that’s the biggest race you can possibly win in our sport. That’s something that no one can ever take away from him and that’s something that he’ll always cherish on his family will. That’s a special thing.
“Any win is a big win, but if you look at a trophy like that and have that sitting in your house, that’s a different kind of win. It’s one of those that lasts forever and it has so much meaning, the importance of it. The 50th running only enlightens and enhances that. It would be really special.”
The auction started Monday, Jan. 7 and will run through Sunday, Jan. 20 at 5 p.m. Available to bid on are many autograph items from drivers and stars such as Nicolas Cage, Kelly Clarkson, Big and Rich, Jeff Gordon, Michael Waltrip, Buddy Baker, Pete Hamilton and Jimmie Johnson.
Daytona 500 champions in attendance for test: There are seven Daytona 500 champions in attendance for this week’s testing preparing for the 50th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 17: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2004), Kevin Harvick (2007), Bill Elliott (1985 and 1987), Dale Jarrett (1993, 1996 and 2000), Michael Waltrip (2001 and 2003), Derrike Cope (1990) and Sterlling Marllin (1994 and 1995).
“It is exciting to be a part of the history of this race track,” said Elliott, who is driving for the Wood Brothers in the Daytona 500. “I didn’t run Talladega with the COT car, so I’ve got a good bit of a learning curve from that standpoint, but Daytona is Daytona. It’s so much different than Talladega. The race track has a lot of character and it’s such a unique place. I enjoy running here.”
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Preseason Thunder Fan Fest: The next NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 15 with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Sprint FANZONE opens at 9 a.m. Tickets to the event are $15.
Tickets: Race tickets for all DIRECTV Speedweeks 2008 events at Daytona International Speedway are available online at www.racetickets.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Speeds:
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Morning testing speeds from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500:
1. 44B, Dale Jarrett, Toyota, 48.652, 184.987
2. 88B, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 48.742, 184.646
3. 40, Dario Franchitti, Dodge, 48.832, 184.305
4. 44A, Dale Jarrett, Toyota, 48.854, 184.222
5. 20A, Tony Stewart, Toyota, 48.968, 183.793
6. 11B, Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 49.035, 183.542
7. 22, Dave Blaney, Toyota, 49.039, 183.527
8. 22B, Dave Blaney, Toyota, 49.099, 183.303
9. 55, Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 49.100, 183.299
10. 83A, Brian Vickers, Toyota, 49.116, 183.240
11. 87, Jeff Fuller, Chevrolet, 49.123, 183.214
12. 88A, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet, 49.154, 183.098
13. 55M, Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 49.164, 183.061
14. 38A, David Gilliland, Ford, 49.186, 182.979
15. 11A, Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 49.200, 182.927
16. 40A, Dario Franchitti, Dodge, 49.224, 182.838
17. 83B, Brian Vickers, Toyota, 49.226, 182.830
18. 20B, Tony Stewart, Toyota, 49.239, 182.782
19. 38B, David Gilliland, Ford, 49.332, 182.437
20. 60B, Boris Said, Ford, 49.394, 182.208
21. 66H, Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, 49.399, 182.190
22. 9B, Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 49.411, 182.146
23. 26A, Jamie McMurray, Ford, 49.463, 181.954
24. 12A, Ryan Newman, Dodge, 49.476, 181.906
25. 21A, Bill Elliott, Ford, 49.482, 181.884
26. 6B, David Ragan, Ford, 49.486, 181.870
27. 9A, Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 49.491, 181.851
28. 34A, Eric McClure, Dodge, 49.493, 181.844
29. 01B, Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 49.499, 181.822
30. 21B, Bill Elliott, Ford, 49.557, 181.609
31. 43B, Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 49.559, 181.602
32. 43A, Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 49.561, 181.594
33. 66C, Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, 49.587, 181.499
34. 6A, David Ragan, Ford, 49.591, 181.485
35. 26B, Jaime McMurray, Ford, 49.607, 181.426
36. 10B, Patrick Carpentier, Dodge, 49.618, 181.386
37. 15B, Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 49.650, 181.269
38. 12B, Ryan Newman Dodge, 49.670, 181.196
39. 60A, Boris Said, Ford, 49.689, 181.127
40. 77A, Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 49.708, 181.057
41. 77B, Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 49.762, 180.861
42 31A, Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 49.794, 180.745
43. 31, Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 49.796, 180.737
44. 15A, Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 49.814, 180.672
45. 01A, Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 49.817, 180.661
46. 29A, Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 49.849, 180.545
47. 50A, Stanton Barrett, Chevrolet, 49.923, 180.278
48. 49A, John Andretti, Dodge, 49.930, 180.252
49. 29B, Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 49.995, 180.018
50. 09A, Sterling Marlin, Chevrolet, 50.313, 178.880
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Afternoon testing speeds from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500:
1. 22B, Dave Blaney, Toyota, 48.532, 185.445
2. 88B, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 48.537, 185.426
3. 83A, Brian Vickers, Toyota, 48.568, 185.307
4. 44A, Dale Jarrett, Toyota, 48.572, 185.292
5. 55, Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 48.589, 185.227
6. 20A, Tony Stewart, Toyota, 48.624, 185.094
7. 55M, Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 48.637, 185.044
8. 44B, Dale Jarrett, Toyota, 48.676, 184.896
9. 83B, Brian Vickers, Toyota, 48.701, 184.801
10. 40, Dario Franchitti, Dodge, 48.718, 184.737
11. 11B, Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 48.766, 184.555
12. 22, Dave Blaney, Toyota, 48.879, 184.128
13. 11A, Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 48.898, 184.057
14. 38A, David Gilliland, Ford ,48.957, 183.835
15. 12A, Ryan Newman, Dodge, 49.027, 183.572
16. 21A, Bill Elliott, Ford, 49.071, 183.408
17. 40A, Dario Franchitti, Dodge, 49.074, 183.397
18. 87, Jeff Fuller, Chevrolet, 49.100, 183.299
19. 88A, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 49.102, 183.292
20. 9B, Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 49.127, 183.199
21. 38B, David Gilliland, Ford, 49.144, 183.135
22. 6B, David Ragan, Ford, 49.162, 183.068
23. 10C, Patrick Carpentier, Dodge, 49.212, 182.882
24. 34A, Eric McClure, Dodge, 49.228, 182.823
25. 21B, Bill Elliott, Ford, 49.234, 182.801
26. 43A, Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 49.241, 182.775
27. 26A, Jamie McMurray, Ford, 49.262, 182.697
28. 60B, Boris Said, Ford, 49.268, 182.674
29. 15A, Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 49.276, 182.645
30. 66H, Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, 49.301, 182.552
31. 01B, Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 49.302, 182.548
32. 12B, Ryan Newman, Dodge, 49.331, 182.441
33. 26B, Jamie McMurray, Ford, 49.356, 182.349
34. 6A, David Ragan, Ford, 49.395, 182.205
35. 31A, Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 49.424, 182.098
36. 15B, Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 49.444, 182.024
37. 60A, Boris Said, Ford, 49.453, 181.991
38. 66C, Scott Riggs, Chevrolet, 49.455, 181.984
39. 29A, Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 49.467, 181.939
40. 9A, Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 49.489, 181.859
41. 10B, Patrick Carpentier, Dodge, 49.492, 181.848
42. 31, Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 49.506, 181.796
43. 77A, Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 49.526, 181.723
44. 77B, Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge , 49.619, 181.382
45. 50A, Stanton Barrett, Chevrolet, 49.696, 181.101
46. 43B, Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 49.701, 181.083
47. 49A, Ken Schrader, Dodge, 49.740, 180.941
48. 09A, Sterling Marlin, Chevrolet, 49.941, 180.213
49. 29B, Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 50.003, 179.989
50. 49B, Ken Schrader, Dodge, 50.168, 179.397
51. 09B, Sterling Marlin, Chevrolet, 50.183, 179.344
52. 08A, Carl Long, Dodge, 50.764, 177.291
53. 57A, Norm Benning, Chevrolet, 50.889, 176.856
